Transformers Fan Fiction ❯ Cover Me ❯ Click It or... ( Chapter 21 )

Cover Me

By Black Dragon Queen

Author's note: I still have NO internet… Grr! Well, here's chapter 21 and I can assure you that it's not what you were expecting. I hope I don't disappoint too many people but I like to do the unexpected in my stories. Also Starshinesoldier made a good point. I forgot to write down how old the new arrivals were. Whoops. Please enjoy.

PAIRINGS REVEALED THUS FAR: Wheeljack x Ratchet, Inferno x Red Alert, Sunstreaker X Sideswipe, Past Prowl x Jazz

Font Index: “Speaking”, `Thinking', “-Radio Transmissions-”, “Cybertronion” “:Link:”

Ages converted to human equivalent:

Wheeljack: 38-40, Perceptor: 35-37, Inferno: 30-35, Red Alert: 25-27, Twins: 23-24 (Yes, they're older than Barricade too!)

~*~

Chapter Twenty-One: Click It Or…

The arrival of two brand new Lamborghini's on the school's campus had caused enough of a ruckus, but when Sam and Mikaela both exited those cars it almost became a full on riot. Thankfully, the twins had enough sense create holographic drivers so Sam and Mikaela could honestly say that they were simply getting a ride from friends. That the twins chose to model themselves after music stars was a whole other problem…

The twins were promptly surrounded by the teenagers, mostly females, cell phone cameras clicking away. Soon, Bumblebee was forced to rely on his scanners just to figure out where they were. Needlessly to say, the twins were completely freaked.

“-BUMBLEBEE! HELP! What do we do?-” Sunny had sent him frantically as the swarm descended upon him.

`Bee sighed at the hysterical cry and sent a silent prayer to Primus. “-Restrain yourselves from running them over for one,-” he told them. “-Other than that…-”

“-These creatures are crazy!-” was Sideswipes opinion and `Bee couldn't help but chuckle.

“-Well, maybe next time we'll think before rushing off and inviting them to our base in droves.-”

“-Slag it!-” Sunny muttered. “-I am so out of here!-” The yellow Gallardo slowly began pulling forward, forcing the students to move or run the risk of getting run over.

“-Freedom!-” Sides shouted as they pushed through the crowd. “-I swear I'm never leaving the base again.-”

`Bee chuckled. “-And I'm sure that Optimus is going to love hearing that. Now get over here and I'll show you around the city.-”

“-Wait,-” Sunny called out concerned. “-Do all humans act that way?-”

“-Well, when faced with a hot brand name car… pretty much yeah.-”

“-NO WAY! I'm going home!-” the Gallardo shouted hysterically as he pushed his way forward.

“-What?-” `Bee cried out. “-But I can't go to far from Sam's position. I don't have time to take you two all the way back to the base!-”

“-I think we know the way,-” Sunny grumbled as he finally emerged from the crowd. “-Come on Sides.-”

`Bee watched from where he had been hiding down the road as the two cars slowly made their escape from the still screaming mob. With a sigh, he turned to check on Sam when he nearly broke cover as he saw Trent DeMarco push his way towards the front of the group as the two Lamborghinis finally pulled away. Bumblebee watched to see if the jock was going to do anything while the two Lamborghini's headed towards him.

Sides slowed down when he neared `Bee's position and sent the message that they were heading back to the base to play with their new toys. He nearly stopped when he didn't get a response from `Bee and now Sunny had slowed down as well. “-Hey `Bee? Everything alright?-” Sides sent when Sunny snapped at his brother to hurry it up.

`Bee sent a quick message that he was fine and a quick warning to be careful on the drive back since they still had not received their diplomatic plates. With the twins gone, he returned to watching what was happening in the schoolyard and nearly pulled forward at the sight. Trent was right in Sam's face and Mikaela was trying desperately to get in between the two boys. Quickly activating his audio sensors, he listened intently as Trent was now slandering Mikaela.

“You're just like your old man!” he was shouting. “Anything shiny, you just have to have! And I bet your boyfriend here was only too happy to get it to you. Anything you have to do to get into the slut's skirt, huh Witless?”

Mikaela gasped and Sam looked like he was ready to haul back and hit the jerk when the teachers, finally noticing that something was going on, broke through the crowd and sent all the students into the building. `Bee huffed as he sat back on his tires and watched the mass of students all vying to get into the building before the last bell tolled. What he wouldn't give to run that aggravating jock off the road, just once.

With a sigh, `Bee waited for twenty minutes to ensure all the kids were in their classes before he pulled forward and slipped into one of the empty spots in the parking lot across the street from the school. He thought about the day's events as he sat amidst the lifeless cars of the human, watching the twins on his long-range scanners just to make sure they didn't make any unnecessary stops along the way. After ensuring the twins had indeed left the city and were heading for the base, he finally began to settle down for a few hours of recharge.

Suddenly his receiver flared to life and `Bee was jerked back to full awareness at the unknown signal. He didn't recognize it and he knew the twins had left so it couldn't have been them playing a joke. Confused, he opened up his communications as he began searching the area for another Cybertronion. To say that he was shocked when Barricade's deep voice exited the speakers would have been an understatement. “-You still have that nut's tow cable?-” Barricade asked him.

“-What? Why?-” `Bee demanded, surprised at the 'Con's communication. “-And where have you been? You weren't at the Witwicky's at all when we got back last night!-”

“Thank Primus,” Barricade muttered as he suddenly appeared down the aisle where `Bee was parked. “Those two drive me batty, and I've never even been in battle against them! Only heard the horror stories the other `Con's come back with,” he explained with a huff. “So you still got the thing or don't ya?”

`Bee stared at mustang in utter confusion. “Um, yeah… why?... what do you plan to do with it?”

Barricade let out a dark chuckle. “Oh you'll see. Follow me Blondie.”

“For the last time! Don't call me `Blondie'!”

~*~

“Why are you doing this?” `Bee whispered to the `Con as they hid around a corner of a building in the middle of this city. “You're a Decepticon!”

“A Decepticon who owes those humans my life!” Barricade snarled. “You should learn by now that we take our camaraderie very seriously. Though we may often try to kill each other, we do respect one another.”

“Still,” `Bee muttered. “I wouldn't have thought you would do something like this.”

“Well,” `Cade mused. “I figured he deserved it… Hey! She's gone! Let's go!”

~*~

Bumblebee glanced once more at the mustang, now innocently parked beneath a tree. “Why did you not give Starscream the coordinates?” he finally asked.

Barricade looked away from his current target to glance back at the Camaro. “Why should I have?” he asked. “Did you want me to tell him where the Ladiesman217 was?”

“No! Of course not!” `Bee shouted horrified. “But it's still rather surprising. You're a Decepticon. I thought you wanted to win.”

“Win, yes. Suffer the rest of eternity under Starscream's rule, no.”

Bumblebee glanced once again at the mustang. “Still,” he said. “You didn't have to warn us-”

“All clear!” Barricade suddenly interrupted, “time to move.”

`Bee sighed as he pulled out and followed the other mech who was laughing a rather disturbingly dark, sinister laugh. “I still can't believe we're doing this…”

~*~

“So you didn't answer my question,” `Bee said once they reached the small grocery's parking lot. “Why did you warn us?”

Barricade sighed and turned away from his surveillance. “Look, what does it matter?” he asked. “I didn't like what Starscream was up too and I decided to take action to spoil his plans. Is that so hard to understand?”

`Bee mentally frowned but said nothing as they sat there under the warm sun. “So, where were you last night?” he asked instead.

“Oh,” Barricade's tone held a smug note of satisfaction. “Just doing a little research.”

“Research?” `Bee asked surprised. “Researching what?”

“Oh, stuff… Okay, point selga is clear. Let's move on to point silna.”

`Bee sighed as the patrol car once again darted into the street, panicking many drivers as they all feared that the patrol car had pulled out after them. “Most aggravating mech I've ever met…”

~*~

“Okay, I want the truth,” `Bee finally grumbled once they had parked again. “Why do you really want that truce?”

Barricade sighed as he backed up and pulled around so he could face the annoying little bug. “What do you want me to say? Huh?” Barricade demanded. “You want me to tell you that it's really just a trap and that I've been sent in as the virtual sacrifice to gather Intel against the Autobots? Fine. `I'm a spy'. There. Happy now?”

`Bee pulled back at the angry tone the `Con shot at him when he paused and studied the other car in front of him. If he didn't know better, he could have sworn that there had been a note of hurt in the patrol car's tone. “Look, I'm sorry. Okay?” Bumblebee muttered. “But you have to understand it from my position. You're a `Con.”

“And you're a `Bot,” Barricade bit out. “How do I know I can't trust you?”

Bumblebee reeled back at the harsh stab and sank down on his tires. “You can't,” he finally admitted. “We're on opposite sides of the war and-”

“Ah, but isn't the war over?” Barricade interrupted scathingly. “Isn't that what Prime said? That the war finished with Megatron and the All Spark and that it means that there are no more sides.” Barricade let out a harsh laugh. “What a thought…”

“It's not that simple,” `Bee muttered.

“Oh believe me Autobit,” Barricade growled. “I know…”

~*~

They had moved on to the next position in silence and had just settled down when it was actually Barricade who brought up the next topic of conversation. “If you're the last youngling of the Autobots, what in the Matrix was Prime thinking when he dragged you along to battle Megatron himself?”

Bumblebee gasped in surprise as he instantly locked all his optics on the dented patrol car. “How do you know about that?” he demanded.

“Research,” Barricade bit out. “So why did he take you along on what had to be the most deadliest of all missions?”

`Bee stared at the other car for a while before he finally sighed in defeat. “Not sure myself,” `Bee admitted. “Just when Optimus was assigning the teams my name got called with the others. I think everyone was surprised that he took me along. Well, maybe not Ratchet but he definitely surprised Ironhide and Jazz… The twins put up quite a fight about being sent out on a search party instead of going where all the action was.”

“Stupidest thing to take the last youngling to a war zone,” `Cade muttered. “One would have thought that Prime would know better.”

“I'm not that young!” `Bee snapped offended. “And you have to admit that I cleaned your clock pretty thoroughly!”

“A lucky shot,” Barricade grumbled though his thoughts continued to whirl through his processor. He was beginning to understand why Optimus Prime had taken the youngest with him. Clearly, he needed to be watched at all times.

They sat in silence for a while before `Bee pulled forward slightly. “All clear,” he announced.

“I can see that,” Barricade grumbled and `Bee allowed himself a mental smirk as he followed the mustang once more.

~*~

“Were you really in a racing gang?” Bumblebee asked once they had relocated.

Barricade let out an aggravated sigh. “Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to spy on people?” he bit out.

“I had to make sure that Judy was alright,” `Bee protested. “That and you do it all the time, so spill. Was that the truth?”

“What do you think?” Barricade growled as he continued his surveillance. His current target was now completely befuddled as she looked up and down the road in confusion.

“How should I know?” `Bee huffed. “Decepticons are not known for their honesty.”

“And just what reason would I have to lie to Judy?” Barricade asked him smugly.

Bumblebee growled but had to admit that it made no sense for the `Con to have lied to the woman. “Well then. What was it like?”

Barricade snarled. “What's it to you? A so-called `clean cut kid' such as yourself shouldn't be wondering about what it would be like to be in a gang.”

“Still,” `Bee insisted. “I'm just curious. I had heard the stories, you know. I just want to know how you ended up there. What made you decide to go to the slums and run an underground gang? How did you become their leader? Did you win a race or something? Why did-”

“Look, it's my life and it's none of your business so butt out!” Barricade finally snapped and `Bee instantly quieted down.

“Sorry,” he muttered and Barricade huffed as they once again moved positions.

~*~

“I had to kill someone.”

Bumblebee jerked out of a half doze when Barricades voice broke the silence some twenty minutes later. “What?” he asked surprised.

“You asked me how I became leader. Simple, I had to kill the previous leader.”

Bumblebee gapped at the other car. “But… but I never heard of any murder occurring in the past three hundred Planet Circuits!” Bumblebee protested. “Even if I wasn't online yet when it occurred I still would have heard about it!”

Barricade let out a dark chuckle. “Well then they never found the body, did they?”

`Bee stared at the other mech in front of him in complete shock. “What?” he screeched. “What do you mean you just up and killed him?”

“I never said it was a planed thing,” Barricade muttered. “It just kind of happened.”

“You killing the previous leader `just kind of happened'?” `Bee asked in disbelief.

“Well, considering he was trying to kill me…” Barricade grumbled, “yeah it did.”

Bumblebee pulled back in shock. “Why was he trying to kill you if you were one of his subordinates?”

Barricade said nothing for a while. “Oh it gets better,” he finally said as he pulled out of hiding once again. “He's the very one who raised me…”

`Bee froze at that announcement and just stared at the other mech pulling away in complete and utter surprise. “What?”

~*~

“What do you mean when you said the previous leader raised you?” `Bee demanded once they reached their next destination.

“Just what I said,” Barricade growled. “He's the one who took me in.”

“How did a gang leader get a hold of a sparkling?” `Bee demanded.

“Simple,” `Cade grumbled. “Whoever it was who had originally been assigned to raise me left me in a slagging ditch, that's what.”

“What?” `Bee cried out surprised.

“Not everyone had the very leader of the whole planet raising us you know,” `Cade growled. “They found me wandering around the streets of Tyger Pax. That's how I ended up in a slagging gang.” `Bee just stared at the Decepticon, completely shocked as Barricade shifted on his wheels. “There. That's it. My whole life story,” Barricade bit out. “So are you going to trust me now?” `Bee said nothing and the `Con huffed once again.

Bumblebee said nothing for a while. “We'll see…” he finally said.

Barricade sighed as he turned back to the task at hand. “Never can please everyone...”

~*~

There had been no more discussion until they finally reached the last destination. The silence was becoming rather annoying as Bumblebee followed him in relative silence. “Oh come on!” Barricade growled. “You can't tell me you're surprised.”

“I can't trust you,” Bumblebee snarled. “You're a `Con and now I learn a cold blooded murder.”

“It was self defense!” Barricade cried out insistently. “How could you fault me for that?”

“Then why did he try to kill you in the first place?” `Bee argued. “Just why was it that he left you with no choice?” Barricade was quiet for a long, long time and Bumblebee huffed. “See. You can't even come up with a plausible excuse.”

“Why should I tell you? You said so yourself, that you don't trust me so why should I care?”

“Then I was right, wasn't I?” Bumblebee insisted. “I don't know why I let you near Sam and I have a mind to go tell Optimus where you are and what I learned and-”

“He nearly destroyed a sparkling,” Barricade suddenly snarled. “Okay? It was a robbery and there was a sparkling and he said that there couldn't be any witnesses and I stopped him. He saw it as insubordination and tried to make an example out of me.”

Bumblebee was shocked into silence. “You… what…? How…?” Barricade said nothing and `Bee was beginning to feel rather guilty. “Is that the truth?” he asked.

“You'll think what you want anyway…” Barricade huffed.

Bumblebee said nothing for a while. “I'm sorry,” he finally whispered.

Barricade let out a heavy sigh. “Come on. Her shift is over so let's that thing back to the school before the last class lets out.”

Bumblebee said nothing as he pulled out, his thought whirling with the over load of information that he had learned on this impromptu revenge mission. “Still don't trust you `Con,” he muttered.

“Wouldn't have it any other way,” Barricade chuckled.

~*~

They had just managed to get back to the parking lot and situated when the last bell rang. Barricade sent a last signal before `Bee tracked him around a few corners down the road. The Autobot watched the group of students and sighed in relief when he saw Sam exiting the building fairly unharmed followed by Mikaela and Miles. `Look to your left… Look to your left. LEFT!' he thought desperately as he began scanning the crowd, watching anyone who got near the jocks “personal parking” spaces. Hah. They just trashed whosever car that dared take up their spots so everyone was afraid to park there.

Mikaela was the one who actually spotted him and Sam glanced at Miles who was looking fairly disappointed at the Lamborghinis absence. Jogging a little ahead of his friends, Sam quickly made his way over to `Bee. “What are you doing here?” he asked. “The story was we were going to walk home since we got a ride from my `cousins' this morning.”

“Sam, get in.” `Bee said quickly.

“What?” Sam asked in surprise. “What's wrong?”

“Sam, believe me. Get in. Quick.”

“Huh?”

“Hey Sam,” Miles walked over. “How did your car get here? You both got rides this morning.”

“Oh, eh heh. Um. My parents dropped it off,” Sam quickly lied. “You know how much they worry.”

Miles frowned as he glanced back at the camaro. “Your parents are weird,” he stated.

Sam gave off a nervous chuckle. “Yeah, aren't they? Well, we better be heading home now so…”

“Sam,” `Bee whispered, his optics finally spotting the person he had been watching for finally emerge from the building. “For the love of Primus, get in!”

“Be quiet!” Sam hissed.

“Huh?” Miles turned back towards Sam.

“What?” Sam jerked back. “Oh, uh. Nothing.” He let loose another nervous laugh.

Mikaela raised an eyebrow as she glanced back down at the camaro behind Sam. She moved around towards the passenger seat and began putting her stuff in the back as cover. “What's going on?” she whispered to the car.

“We have to go. We have to go now!” `Bee told her.

“Why?” she asked, now filled with concern and worry. “Starscream?”

“Worse…”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

Everybody froze at the sound of the scream and Sam, Mikaela and Miles all whirled around to look in the direction of the jocks corner. There stood Trent DeMarco, staring at his beloved pickup truck in absolute horror. Or rather, he was staring at the multitude of little yellow sheets of paper that were fluttering merrily in the wind under his windshield wiper. “What the fuck is this?” he cried out in anger as he snatched the papers and stared at them. “Where the hell did all these tickets come from?”

One of his jock buddies took a few of the tickets and began going though them. “These are all from today,” he said in wonder as he flipped through them. “And all of them are the same meter maid!”

Another buddy looked down at the tickets and whistled. “Oh man! I've gotten tickets from her before. She's like the worst person to get one from! No one has ever won a fight against her!”

“But this is impossible!” Trent cried. “My truck has been here the whole day! Who would do this?”

“Oh for the love of Primus, GET IN!” `Bee hissed desperately. “Before he comes over here!”

Sam and Mikaela both stared down at the camaro in shock. “'Bee…” Sam gapped at him.

“Er, we better go,” Mikaela said at a normal tone. “Bye Miles.”

“Um. Yeah, see you tomorrow Miles,” Sam said quickly as he too slipped into the camaro and went through the motions of starting up the car.

“Huh?” Miles turned back around, only to see the camaro now peeling out of the parking lot, sending students scattering to get out of the way. Miles sighed as he was once more left behind. “Yeah, see ya,” he muttered. He stood there for a few moments before he jerked in surprise. “Oh shit! I'm going to miss the bus!”

~*~

“Care to tell us what that was all about?” Sam demanded as they pulled into the road.

Mikaela suddenly burst into laughter as she fell back in her seat. “Did you see his face?” she cried. “It was priceless!” she laughed for a while more before she glanced down at the radio. “So is that why you were in such a rush?” she asked. “Did you see who it was that pulled that stunt?”

“Oh I saw him,” `Bee muttered sourly.

“Was it the twins?” Sam asked confused. “Was it one of their pranks? And where are they? I thought they were going to stay until tonight at least.”

“I think the groupies scared them for life. They went home.” `Bee chuckled before falling silent once again.

Mikaela and Sam glanced at one another confused. “Well if it wasn't the twins then who was it?” Sam asked as he risked glancing away from the road where he was pretending to drive before he looked back up and his hands fell from the wheel in surprise.

“'Bee! There he is!” he cried as he spotted Barricade at an intersection.

“Yeah, I know,” `Bee muttered as Barricade pulled out behind them once they passed.

“-Genius, wasn't it?-” Barricades voice floated out of the speakers.

The two humans exchanged puzzled glances. “What was?” Sam asked confused at the odd statement.

“Wait!” Mikaela gasped. “That was you?” she cried in surprise before she fell over laughing once again.

“What?” Sam cried shocked at the revelation. “Really?”

“-Yup,-” Barricade answered gleefully. “-It may take him a while to get all those tickets paid off. I searched the entire database for the toughest meter maid I could find.-”

Sam just stared at the patrol car in the rearview mirror. “How did you pull it off?”

“You know how we still have Ironhide's tow cable?” `Bee responded gloomily.

“What?” Sam screeched again as Mikaela began cackling once more. “How did you manage to connect it to his truck?” he asked completely confused. `Bee jerked slightly and now Mikaela stopped laughing long enough to stare down at the dash curiously. Sam also was now becoming rather amused. “'Bee?” he drawled. “How did you connect the tow cable?”

Barricade was now the one who was laughing hysterically and `Bee grumbled under his breath in mortification. “-Aw-,” Barricade cooed. “-Is the itty bitty bug embarrassed?-”

“You are never getting near me with those things ever again!” `Bee snapped and now the humans were really confused.

“What?” Sam asked. “What is it?”

“Apparently,” `Bee finally mumbled. “Barricade can do a lot more with those grappling hooks than just annoy someone beyond belief.”

The two humans stared at him before both of them broke into hysterical laughter that lasted the rest of the way home.

-To Be Continued

~*~

Authors Note: Well, there you have it. A little bit of insight on Barricade as I pictured him. And about the chapter title, I live near a major city and there's a program called “Click it or Ticket”. They're trying to make sure that everyone wears the seat belts. We thought it was appropriate.